Ballast distributing machine for railroads



Aug. 7, 1 62 R. E. KELLER ET AL 3,047,963

BALLAST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE FOR RAILROADS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 5, 1959 K0406 KH/zr C'a/V/n Z. :51 Arm/W52 g- 1962 R. E. KELLER ET AL 3,047,963

BALLAST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE FOR RAILROADS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

Ra/p/z Z Key/er a/z/m 1. Gay 57 ATTUR/VE) Aug. 7, 1962 R. E. KELLER ET AL BALLAST DISTRIBUTING MACHINE FOR RAILROADS Filed Dec. 3, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. @0/ /7 Z Kev/er //7 1. if;

A Tram/[r Unite This invention relates to improvements in ballast distributing machine for railroads. The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a railway vehicle capable of moving forwardly and rearwardly along a railway to distribute or level ballast along the roadbed while moving both forwardly and rearwardly.

Second, to provide a ballast distributing machine for railways capable of collecting ballast deposited along the sides of a roadbed and uniformly distributing it.

Third, to provide a ballast working machine having side scraping and distributing means that is vertically and laterally adjustable to function over various widths of shoulder area alongside a railway track and which are swingable vertically to a traveling position to provide clearance for the vehicle while traveling to and from work location.

Fourth, to provide an adjustable and flexible mounting for side distributor boxes on a ballast distributing machine which permits the boxes to function while traveling in either direction and which permits the boxes to tilt longitudinally and spill excess ballast therefrom where encountering piles of ballast exceeding the capacity of the boxes to completely distribute the ballast.

Fifth, to provide a ballast distributing machine with a double acting two faced scraper or plow capable of spreading ballast laterally across a roadbed while traveling in one direction and collecting or converging ballast toward the center of the roadbed when traveling in the opposite direction. I

Sixth, to provide a ballast distributing machine having side distributor boxes with ballast working harrows therein that are automatically swingable to operative position upon reversal of the direction of movement of the machine and the boxes.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there are three sheets, illustrate a highly practical form of the distributing machine of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a rear quarter perspective view of the distributing machine with its front plow lowered to operative position and its side distributor boxes elevated to inoperative transit position. v

FIG. 2 is a front quarter perspective view of the distributing machine with its front plow raised and with the side distributor boxes lowered to operative position.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan View of the machine with the distributor boxes lowered.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the lateral adjustment connection between the carriage of i the machine and the side distributor box with portions of the carriage broken away.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the side distributor boxes with the collecting harrow mounted therein.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the supporting connection between the side distributor box and the carriage of the machine.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view through the ballast collecting harrow taken along the plane of the line 7-7 in FIG. 5. i

' FIG. 8 is a fragmentary vertical cross sectional view Bfi llfih Patented Aug. 7, 1962 through the adjustable support for the front plow of the machine taken along the plane of the line 88 in FIG. 3.

As appears most clearly from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the distributing machine consists generally of a mobile carriage having a bed or platform 1 supported upon flanged wheels 2 for movement along the rails 3 of a railway. A driving internal combustion engine 4 is mounted on the bed in front of a suitable drivers cab 5 and connected through suitable gearing 6 to the axles 7 for driving the wheels 2. Vertically adjustably mounted on the front end of the carriage is a double faced scraper or plow 3 and laterally swingably and extensibly mounted on the sides of the carriage are a pair of side distributor boxes indicated generally by the numeral 9.

Considering first the construction and mounting of the plow or scraper 8 as shown most particularly in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8, it is pointed out that the plow has a forwardly facing convex V-shaped face 10 connected to and spaced from a rearwardly facing concave V-shaped face 11. The faces 10* and 11 are notched as at 12 over the rails 3 to permit the plow to be lowered to below the level of the rails when desired. Connecting plates 13 connect the opposite faces 10 and 11. Certain interior connecting plates are provided with upstanding ears 14 supporting vertically spaced pairs of pivots 15. Pairs of vertically spaced parallel arms 16 connect the pivots to vertically spaced pivots 17 carried by brackets 18 on the front end of the platform 1. Movement of the plow is thus guided in a vertical plane. Hydraulic cylinders 19 pivotally connected to cars 20 on the carriage have their piston rods 21 extended upwardly and forwardly and pivotally connected to cross bars 22 extending between transverse pairs of the arms 16. Hydraulic pressure delivered to the cylinders 19 through conduits 23 from suitable supply and control elements not illustrated actuates the cylinder to adjust the elevation of the plow to the desired position.

Considering the construction and mounting of the side distributor boxes 9, it is pointed out that the boxes consist of inner side walls 24, outer side walls 25 and outwardly converging end walls 26. The end walls as are shallower or narrower than the side walls and have hinges 27 on their lower edges to which scraper blades 23 are swingably connected. Outwardly converging brace rods 29 extending between the inner and outer sidewalls 24 and 25 at the longitudinally outer sides of the scraper blades act as stops to limit outward swinging motion of the scraper blades 28. Thus as appears most clearly in FIG. 5 with the carriage and distributor box advancing in the direction of the arrow, the forward scraper blade will swing inwardly in passing over piles of ballast distributed along the roadbed but the rear scraper blade 28 will be stopped by the rear rod 2? to function as a scraper to level the ballast and scrape excess ballast inwardly toward the rails.

Laterally adjustable wings 30 carried by vertical hinges 31 on the ends of the outer side plate are adjustably positioned by links 32 connected to the brackets 33 for intercepting and collecting ballast deposited further outwardly from the rail along the shoulder of the roadbed.

In order to collect or accumulate sufficient ballast along the inner sides of the boxes 9 where it is normally more needed, the boxes are provided with collector barrows having disks 34 mounted on yokes 35. The yokes 35 have upstanding threaded pins 36 vertically adjustably received in sleeves 37. The pins are clamped in adjusted position by lock nuts 38 and the sleeves 37 are fixedly mounted in support arms 3% pivoted on pins 40 secured to the middle of the inner side walls 24 of the distributor boxes. The outer ends of the arms 39 are slidably and automatically adjustably supported by ways 41 formed by slots in the outer side walls 25 of the boxes. The arms 39 will automatically swing to a rearwardly inclined trailing positrated, functions to raise and lower the boxes 9 as desired.

In order to permit vertical and lateral adjustment of the position of the distributor boxes in their outwardly swinging horizontal working position, the inner corners of the boxes are provided with yokes 4'7 faced laterally inwardly toward the sides of the carriage l. The ears of the yokes 47 define slots 43 that are generally vertical in the working positions of the boxes and which receive pivot pins 49 extending horizontally and longitudinally of the carriage from the lower ends of piston rods 56 associate with hydraulic cylinders 51. The cylinders 51 are positioned within and supported by tubular uprights 52 positioned adjacent the four corners of the carriage bed 1.

The lower ends of the uprights 52'; are rigidly connected to and supported by tubular slides 53 which extend transversely inwardly of the carriage into tubular bearings or slide ways 54 supported along the underside of the bed by depending plates 55 and 56 secured to the longitudinal frame members 57 and 58 as appears more clearly in FIG. 4. The tubes 54 thus support the slides 53 and upright tubes 52 so that the hydraulic cylinders 51 are supported from the carriage to vertically adjustably support the pivot pins 49. The pivot pins 49 in turn support the side distributor boxes at various levels as the pivot pins 49 are moved upwardly and downwardly in slots 59 provided therefor in the upright tubes 52. Particular attention is invited to the fact that while the position of the pivot pins 49 establishes the general elevation at which the side distributor boxes will be positioned, the vertical position of the slots 48 in the yokes 47 permits the trailing ends of the boxes to move upwardly and ride over piles of ballast when the accumulation of ballast in the boxes and against the trailing scraper blade 28 exceeds the capac ity of the box and the machine to advance the box.

In order to adjust the position of the distributor boxes laterally to reach further out along the shoulder of the roadbed, the tubular slides 53 supporting the tubular uprights 52 are provided with racks 60 exposed or accommodated by slots 61 in the tubular slide ways 54. The racks 65 on the forward and rearward slides 53 on each side of the machine are connected by a longitudinal shaft 62 having gears 63 secured thereon and meshing with the racks so that the forward and rearward slides move in unison. Hydraulic cylinders 64 mounted adjacent each corner of the bed 1 have one end connected to a bracket 65 on the carriage while the piston rods 66 of the cylinders are connected to bracket 67 on the inner ends of the slides 53. Fluid pressure directed through the conduits 68 forms suitable controls not illustrated, actuates the cylinders to extend or retract the distributor boxes laterally of the machine.

The machine with the collecting and distributing elements just described not only has a high capacity for distributing uneven piles of ballast deposited at various positions along a railway roadbed but has the capability of automatically operating during forward or reverse motion along the railway to distribute ballast by successive operations when the accumulation of ballast exceeds the capacity of the machine to distribute and level the ballast with a single pass.

The machine illustrated is particularly adapted and desirable for use in the distributing or placement of new ballast, that is, new or added ballast on any original track construction but it should be understood that it is adapted for use in reworking ballast on the shoulders of railway track beds. While the harrow discs 34 and scraper blades 28 are illustrated in connection with what is here termed as distributing boxes, it should be understood that the longitudinal members are not necessarily boxes in the sense of conveying ballast as distinguished from working it and levelling it.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A ballast distributing machine for railroads comprising a self propelled carriage for movement along the rails of a railway, a forwardly convex and rearwardly concave double faced V-plow mounted across the end of said carriage, pairs of vertically spaced parallel arms pivoted between said carriage and said plow to guide movement of the plow vertically, first hydraulic cylinders connected to said arms to raise and lower said plow, side distributor boxes having their inner sides pivotally connected to the sides of said carriage, cable means connected between the outer sides of said boxes and elevated points on said carriage to raise and lower the outer sides of the boxes, said boxes having outwardly converging scraper blades hinged to and depending below the end walls of said boxes, means forming stops on said boxes limiting outward swinging motion of said scraper blades, support arms pivotally mounted on the inner sides of said boxes and extending laterally thereacross to slideways provided therefor at the outer side walls of the boxes, upright disk scrapers carried below said last arms and swingable therewith to forwardly and rearwardly inclined positions relative to said carriage, and means for raising and lowering the pivotal connections to the inner sides of said boxes including second fluid actuated cylinders mounted in upright position and having pivot pins connected to vertically adjustable parts thereof engaged with the sides of said boxes.

2. A ballast distributing machine for railroads comprising a self propelled carriage for movement along the rails of a railway, a forwardly convex and rearwardly concave double faced V-plow mounted across the end of said carriage, means connected between said carriage and said plow to guide movement of the plow vertically, means connected to raise and lower said plow, side distributor boxes having their inner sides pivotally connected to the sides of said carriage, means connected between said boxes and said carriage to raise and lower the outer sides of the boxes, said boxes having outwardly converging scraper blades hinged to and depending below the end walls of said boxes, stops on said boxes limiting outward swinging motion of said scraper blades to positions inclined slightly inwardly of the boxes, support arms pivotally mounted on the inner sides of said boxes and extending laterally thereacross to slideways provided therefor on the outer side walls of the boxes, upright disk scrapers carried below said arms and swingable therewith to forwardly and rearwardly inclined positions relative to said carriage, and means for raising and lowering the pivotal connections to the inner sides of said boxes including fluid actuated cylinders mounted in upright position and having pivot pins connected to vertically adjustable parts thereof engaged with the sides of said boxes.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a carriage adapted to reversibly travel on a railway track, a ballast shoulder dresser unit comprising a supporting frame including inner and outer laterally spaced longitudinal members, said supporting frame being mounted on said carriage for vertical, lateral and tilting adjustment relative to the carriage and the track on which the carriage is traveling, scraper blades mounted on said supporting frame between said longitudinal members'thereof and in outwardly converging relation relative to each other, and ballast working means disposed between said scraper blades comprising a plurality of rotatable inwardly facing dished blades, and a supporting beam for said blades pivotally mounted on the inner end of said supporting frame members and slidably and supportedly mounted on the outer supporting frame member so that when said blades are in ballast engaging position the supporting beam therefor automatically shifts its angular relation-to the carriage with the change of direction of travel of the carriage.

4. A machine of the class described comprising a carriage adapted to reversibly travel on a railway track, a ballast shoulder dresser unit comprising a supporting frame including inner and outer laterally spaced longitudinal members, said supporting frame being mounted on said carriage for vertical, lateral and tilting adjustment relative to the carriage and the track on which the carriage is traveling, scraper blades mounted on said supporting frame between said longitudinal members thereof, and ballast working means disposed between said scraper blades comprising a plurality of rotatable blades, and a supporting beam for said blades pivotally mounted on the inner of said supporting frame members and slidably and supportedly mounted on the outer supporting frame member so that when said blades are in ballast engaging position the supporting beam therefor automatically shifts its angular relation to the carriage with the change of direction of travel of the carriage.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a carriage adapted to reversibly travel on a railway track, a ballast shoulder dresser unit comprising a supporting frame including inner and outer laterally spaced longitudinal members, said supporting frame being mounted on said carriage, scraper blades mounted on said supporting frame between said longitudinal members thereof and in outwardly converging relation relative to each other, and ballast working means disposed between said scraper blades comprising a plurality of rotatable inwardly facing dished blades, and a supporting beam for said blades pivotally mounted on the inner of said supporting frame members and slidably and supportedly mounted on the outer supporting frame member so that When said blades are in ballast engaging position the supporting beam therefor automatically shifts its angular relation to the carriage with the change of direction of travel of the carriage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,692,739 Holland Nov. 20, 1928 1,894,410 Mallice Ian. 17, 1933 2,284,035 Blair May 26, 1942 2,477,001 Pacheco July 26, 1949 2,583,378 Kershaw Jan. 22, 1952. 2,745,325 Green May 15, 1956 2,748,508 Schiavi June 5, 1956 2,965,986 Kershaw Dec. 27, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,176 Switzerland June 16, 1924 520,789 Germany Mar. 14, 1931 856,424 Germany Nov. 20, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Operating Instructions for Kershaw Ballast Regulator, Scarifier and Plow, received in Patent Office February 10, 1955.

Kershaw Track Talk, published June 1956. 

